'Mr Fix-it' keen to ply his trade with Cowboys

RUGBY LEAGUE: New Cowboys signing Ben Hampton is ready for the latest chapter in his young NRL story after returning "home” to North Queensland.

Hampton, who grew up playing junior football in Mareeba before being nabbed by the Melbourne Storm, said he would have been content if he had stayed with the Storm but was now reday to take his chance with the Cowboys.

"I always said that if things worked out that I would like to play for the Cowboys one day but in saying that I would have been really happy to stay in Melbourne as well,” he told NRL.com.

"But this opportunity has come up and this new chapter has started now and I couldn't be happier with the decision that I've made.”

Hampton was something of a "Mr Fix-it” for the Storm and he realised he could play a similar role for coach Paul Green, but said he was coming to terms with it.

"It took me a while to get used to it when I started playing that role in Melbourne,” he said.

"I sort of picked it up a lot more towards the back end of the season and now I actually really like the role to be honest.

"I like playing in the halves and I liked the handful of games I played at fullback as well, but my first season in this role was probably my most successful season so far and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can continue to play a similar role up here.”

Green already likes what he sees in Hampton in his approach to training.

Hampton said he could also learn a lot from the Cowboys' star players as he looks to build a new career at the club.

"You've got to train well yourself but you've also got to watch what other people in those positions are doing at training,” he said.

"I've got a lot of players here like Michael Morgan, Johnathan Thurston, Jakey Granville, boys that are really good in their positions, that I can watch as well and pick up a few little things of what they're doing and how they're controlling the team just in case I do have to slot into one of those positions one day.

"I'm sure after Christmas when we start getting ready for some games that Greeny will give me an idea of what he wants from me and where he wants me to play.”